Evaporator coil and the like



May 16, 1939. J. F. FURRY EVAPORATOR COIL AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 30, 1937 R m m Mm V T W m N H 4 O B Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EVAPORATOR COIL AND THE LIKE Application October 30, 1937, Serial No. 171,864

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in evaporator coils and the like. The present application is a companion to the application of Stephen F. Briggs, Serial No. 105.001 filed October 10, 1936, entitled Refrigerating units.

v It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved form of tube and an improved coil structure with particular reference to the use thereof in refrigerator evaporators.

I) More particularly stated, it is my purpose to enable the several successive coils of an evaporator to be interlocked mechanically with each other, thereby avoiding the necessity of using jigs or solder or other coatings as a means of such con- -nection.

The invention has particular utility where the tube from which the coil is made is constructed of a metal which neither requires any exterior coating nor, perhaps, is well adapted to receive such a coating.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following disclosure.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an evap- L orator coil made in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation of a completed evaporator, the circulatory connections thereto being fragmentarily illustrated.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view in cross section through a series of tube portions united in accordance with the present invention.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

{ Those skilled in the art will-appreciate that it is possible to make by extrusion tubes of the novel cross section clearly shown in Fig. 3, in which I have shown a tubular body portion 4 integrally provided at 5 with a continuous tongue l0 joined to the body portion by a narrow web 6, while at the opposite side of the body portion a similar web 1 supports the integrally formed continuous flanges 8 which are upset into interlocking engagement with the head 5 of the adi jac'ent tubular body I. For many purposes it may be desired to connect in this manner a plurality of tubes whereof the interiors are not connected in series. In other words, the several passages 9 through the tubular body portions 4 of the tube structure shown in Fig. 3 may be wholly disconnected from a For the purposes of the.

present invention, however, it is preferred to use-a single continuous tubular member formed throughout its length to provide the cross section shown in Fig. 3 and wound into a helix with its successive convolutions interldcked with each 5 other as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

A convenient metal to be used in the construction of such a tube is aluminum. Aluminum is suitable, for use in a heat transfer device, it is readily extruded to make tubes of any desired 10 cross sectionQit requires no plating or other fln ishing, and the means for mechanically connecting the successive coils as herein disclosed is desired means to engage the tongue with 'sufflcient clamping pressure to maintain it interlocked therein.

The circulatory connections l0 and il may then be soldered into the ends of the evaporating coil and the mounting i2 provided to complete the evaporator. While there is nothing to preclude the clipping or other coating of such a coil, such dipping or coating is unnecessary and its absence facilitates heat transfer.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with'a tube of helical form having successive contiguous convolutions, of means formed integrally with the sides of said tube and substantially continuous throughout said 40 convolutions for mechanically interlocking successive convolutions with each other.

2. A heat transfer device comprising a tube wound in helical form to provide successive convolutions contiguous to each other, said tube having a tonguesubstantially continuous along one side thereof and a channel substantially continuous along the other side thereof, the tongue portions of successive convolutions being in interlocking engagement with the channel portions 0 of contiguous convolutions.

3. In a device of the character described, a tube formed to constitute a helix having successive convolutions, said tube having oppositely extending integral webs, one of said webs carrying an integral and substantially continuoustongue and the other of said webs being bifurcated to provide integral and substantially continuous flanges, the flanges of one convolution being formed into interlocking engagement about the tongue of an adjacent convolution, whereby to maintain said last mentioned convolutions interlocked mechanically to each other.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a tube comprising a hollow body portion, a plurality of webs projecting from said body portion and extending along said body portion, a headed tongue carried by one of said webs, and a pair of flanges carried by the other of said webs and open to receive the headed tongue of a tube of like cross section.

5. An extruded tube comprising a hollow body greatly elongated as compared with its cross section and provided continuously along its sides with flanges having mutually hooked and curved means formed for interlocking engagement with each other and with the complementary flanges of like tubes.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tube formed to constitute a helix having successive convolutions and integral flange means projecting from opposite sides thereof, the flange means projecting from one of said sides having a hooked portion in interlocking connection substantially throughout said convolutions with the flange means projecting from the opposite side of the tube in contiguous convolutions whereby tounite said convolutions mechanically to constitute a chamber.

JOHN F. ,FURRY. 

